CANA Conference 2009: Presentations

Australia's Climate Movement in 2009: The Turning Point 

Climate Action Network Australia 2009 Conference
March 11-12, 2009, Melbourne Town Hall

The Conference
The Climate Action Network Australia (CANA) conference drew together the broad and progressive climate movement, from the non-government, corporate, academic and Government, to debate and dissect the key climate problems and potential solutions. The devastation of the recent Victorian bushfires demonstrates the lethal link between dangerous climate change and the potential for extreme weather events, including further fires. In 2009, this conference provided the opportunity to contribute and shape the climate advocacy strategies and foci that will lead from the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme to the international stage for the post-Kyoto Protocol negotiations in Copenhagen in December. 

Speakers included:

• Senior Government representatives: Blair Comley (Deputy Secretary, Department of Climate Change), Howard Bamsey (Special Envoy, Department of Climate Change), and Rebecca Falkingham (Climate change branch, Dept Premier and Cabinet, Vic).
• Leading academics and researchers: Professor Stephen Schneider (Stanford University USA and IPCC), Professor Dave Griggs (Monash University and IPCC), Dr Mark Diesendorf (UNSW), Dr. Kamal Siddiqui (Monash University), and Simon Dunstall (CSIRO's Low Emissions Distributed Energy Theme).
• High-profile commentators: Richard Dennis (The Australia Institute), Bernard Keane (Crikey.com), Ian de Cruz (World Vision; formerly of the Garnaut Review), and Tony Douglas (Essential Media)
• Corporate leaders: Tony Gray (Visy), Scott Leckie (Displacement Solutions), Laura Eadie (carbon offsetter, Climate Friendly), and Stephen Hennessy (green architects and engineers, Steensen Varming).
• ...and the strident voices from non-government organisations: Rev Tim Costello (World Vision), Dr Stephan Singer (WWF International), Jeff Angel (Total Environment Centre), Erwin Jackson (The Climate Institute), David Turnbull (Climate Action Network International), Jane Holden (Climate Action Network Australia), Tony Mohr (ACF), Damien Lawson (Friends of the Earth Australia), Nicole Ikenberg (WWF Australia), Dr Brett Parris (World Vision), Emeretta Cross (Tuvalu and Kiribati national), Eliot Fishman (Australian Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas), Cameron Eren (Total Environment Centre), George Woods (Rising Tide), Imogen Schoots (Electrical Trades Union- Victoria), Cameron Tampion (Public Transport User's Association), John Hepburn (Greenpeace Australia Pacific), Cate Faehrmann (Nature Conservation Council of NSW), Andrew Hewett (Oxfam Australia), and Wenny Theresia (Climate Movement).

Conference Presentations

• March 11 Public Program: Click here.
• March 12 Member-only program Click here (CANA members only).

The conference presentations that have been made available for public viewing are:

Climate change science update:

• Professor Dave Griggs, Monash University

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme presentation:

• Tony Gray, Director of Sustainability, Visy

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency:

• Dr Mark Diesendorf, Institute of Environmental Studies, University of NSW
• Stephen Hennessy, Director, Steensen Varming
• Nicole Ikenberg, WWF Australia
• Simon Dunstall, Stream Leader, CSIRO Adaptive Supply Networks

Impacts on our Pacific Neighbours:

• Damien Lawson, Climate Justice Director, Friends of the Earth Australia
• Scott Leckie, Director, Displacement Solutions

Transport in the new economy

• Cameron Tampion, Public Transport Users Association
• Laura Eadie, Carbon Strategy Manager, Climate Friendly
• Elliot Fishman, Australian Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas

Conference Outcomes

• A list of the conference outcomes from the member-only day on March 12 is available here (CANA members only).
• The outcomes of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme strategy is here (CANA members only).
• Key climate events by CANA member groups in 2009: This list of planned events was compiled during the CANA 2009 Conference.

CANA Conference sponsors
This project was supported by a grant from the Government of South Australia and by the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change. The Climate Action Network Australia thanks the departments and the sponsors for their generous assistance in support of this conference. CANA also tahnks the generous sponsorship of Visy, Mercure hotels, the Electrical Trades Union (Victoria), the City of Melbourne, Monash University and the University of Melbourne.